Two thousand meters underground.
Dark Matter Research Institute.
The tunnel, excavated by modern machinery, had moisture still clinging to its walls. The stark white light of industrial lamps illuminated the steel-framed catwalk as students wearing visitor badges and research coats filed across it one by one.
"What's wrong with you?"
A female college student with light golden short hair and azure eyes asked Li Site.
Li Site appeared extremely strange at this moment.
"It's like... I had a very long dream. So vivid it felt like ten years had passed. No... that world had sixteen-month years. Over a decade."
Li Site stood frozen in place, looking around blankly. What a nightmare - each day felt like a year, filled with scheming, living by the blade, and endless killing. He'd become a completely different person.
Now he was clean-shaven with no terrifying scars on his face, an exchange student visiting North America currently touring the dark matter research facility.
Since more advanced dark matter facilities were already operational, this one had been declassified to semi-open status.
Li Site placed his hands on her shoulders, overwhelmed by indescribable nostalgia at seeing this past-life romantic interest again. So bizarre.
"I knew it couldn't be real. A facility malfunction? Some dimensional sorcerer's terrifying magic hunting all dimensionally unstable souls?"
It's finally over, Li Site thought.
All just a dream - every student here being captured to another world, imprisoned in the Northern Territory's great prison as that sorcerer's test subjects. Pure fantasy.
Sharon's face began dissolving.
"Of course it's real. Don't you remember? After the prison riot, we got separated. That sorcerer's still hunting us, the whole world wants us dead. Now... only you can save me."
The entire research facility burst into flames, turning to ashes.
Then came violent crashing sounds threatening to shatter reality itself.
Linden City. Secret Port. The giant sea-eroded cliff cavern.
Amidst violent knocking.
The hungover Li Site jolted awake from his nightmare, sitting up abruptly while gasping like he'd been suffocating for millennia, chest heaving violently, back drenched in cold sweat.
Li Site drew the dagger from beside his pillow, alertly eyeing the door.
Fen knocked several times on the captain's quarters bedroom door before entering without response.
Fen had heard Li Site calling that name in his sleep.
Seeing who it was, Li Site relaxed, though a splitting headache reminded him he'd blacked out drinking again last night.
Fen repeated the question, somewhat sensitive about it. The name sounded feminine, and in his view, Black Sails crew should sever all outside ties - especially now carrying priceless treasures requiring utmost caution.
When Sven first joined Fen, Fen considered leaving to start anew. But where could they go? Even returning the gemstone and stele couldn't absolve their crimes. Some sins can never be cleansed.
No matter how skilled one or two people are, how much can they truly accomplish alone?
In this world, power lies in numbers. After deliberation, Fen stayed with Black Sails - the sea remained safest, with crewmates sharing the burden against Thieves' Guild pursuit. Besides, those illiterates might not grasp the stele's true value. Even if they did, its worth far exceeded their imagination - worth refusing a dukedom for without hesitation.
Now they needed to discuss leveraging the stele to establish dominance.
"None of your damn business, why so nosy?"
Li Site rolled out of bed, long having abandoned morning routines. He rinsed with saltwater from the nightstand, spitting casually on the floor, completing his "ablutions" in under ten seconds before pushing past Fen into the office area.
The captain's quarters had two sections - bedroom and office - though Li Site conducted no official business, not even keeping a logbook. Navigation records, speed tracking, and course decisions all fell to Fen, the top scholar. Li Site just named destinations - a hands-off captain.
Surveying the chaotic quarters, Fen noted Li Site's complete lack of organization yet obsession with collecting oddities - artifacts lifted from nobles, weapons, instruments piled like a junkyard. Some hidden gems might fetch dozens of gold dragons collectively.
"I don't get your trash-picking addiction."
Fen randomly selected a gaudy ouroboros ring with cheap glowstone eyes from the mess. Who still fell for such scams? Sold as magic items with cheap tricks to ignorant fools, this ring wasn't worth ten copper coins.
"Free stuff - take what you can get."
Li Site retrieved a flintlock pistol from the desk, strapping it to his belt for captainly flair.
These guns had laughable accuracy lacking rifling technology - hitting anything relied on divine intervention.
Each shot required reloading. Among the West Continent's talents, they served more as ceremonial opening salutes than weapons. Anyone foolish enough to reload during combat would die instantly.
Against warriors like Wolman or Ox, they couldn't even penetrate armor.
At Blue Bay Port when Morrison faced half a dozen marines with smoothbore muskets, Li Site thought him dead. Yet whip cracks became blurs disarming them all, while his left arm's repeating crossbow scored headshots - a walking arsenal with perfect solutions for any situation.
The ultimate predator - call him "Little Kill-brother" for his overwhelming superiority.
Not entirely useless though - massed volleys from regular troops could overwhelm ragtag forces through sheer numbers.
The expensive, contraband guns mainly served Li Site's vanity - proof he wasn't hard up for cash.
"What brings you here so early?"
Li Site rocked dangerously in his chair, unconcerned about tipping over.
Fen handed Li Site a crew assignment list. Even pirate ships needed records for proper accounting. Many crews failed despite bravery due to unfair loot division and financial chaos breeding dissent.
Li Site knew this meant hiring sailors with shared funds. Though unnamed, Fen wasn't the embezzling type.
With new policies ensuring the core dozen stayed indefinitely, Li Site had no concerns.
He briskly signed using a frayed quill with clumpy ink.
"Speaking of which, where are the big-chested beauties? Doesn't feel like a proper fantasy world. Can we recruit some?"
"Sorry." Fen pocketed the list, knowing Li Site's thoughts. "No women aboard. As for your ideal candidate combining strength, labor, endurance, beauty, ample bust, combat experience, immunity to harassment, plus hygiene and fashion sense - such a well-rounded lady would be exceedingly rare."
"At minimum a hero-tier unit."
Li Site abandoned the fantasy. Any woman like that would become a knight's attendant for guaranteed nobility, not join pirates.